8 ASTRONOMY • APRIL 2021
QUANTUM GRAVITY
December 16 was a momentous
day for the China National
Space Administration (CNSA): The
long-awaited Chang’e 5 mission safely
returned to Earth, carrying with it
about 3.8 pounds (1.7 kilograms) of
lunar material plucked from the Moon.
The mission marks the first time in
almost 45 years that lunar samples have
been brought to Earth.
It was also CNSA’s most complex mis-
sion yet. The spacecraft itself consisted
of four primary components: a service
module, a lander, an ascent module, andan Earth return module. China’s heavy-
lifting Long March 5 rocket carried the
craft to space on November 23. To reach
the Moon, Chang’e 5 then performed
several burn maneuvers, followed by
braking burns that allowed it to enter
orbit some 125 miles (200 kilometers)
above the lunar surface. After dropping
to an altitude of about 9.5 miles (15 km),
the lander and ascent module detached
from the rest of the craft to make a
self-guided landing. According to CNSA
officials, the craft touched down at
10:11 A.M. EST on December 1 near amountain called Mons Rümker in the
Ocean of Storms.PICKUP AND DELIVERY
Once on the surface, the lander
deployed its solar panels to power its
array of instruments, including ground-
penetrating radar, spectrometers, and
a drill capable of collecting samples as
far as 6.5 feet (2 meters) below the lunar
surface.
After collection, the samples were
transferred to the ascent module, which
first used springs to separate from theCHINA’S LUNAR LOOT RETURNED
The ambitious Chang’e 5 mission retrieved several
pounds of material from the Moon.
LUNAR PROSPECTING. This panorama shows
one leg of the Chang’e 5 lander as well as the
robotic sample collection arm. CNSA